Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-07-07
MYSTERY BY THE GENESEE

-IHdtdndpoaS JohrRdt
MYSTERY BY THE GE'NESEE
by JAMES FRANKLIN FILTs.
1t is the habit Of people who write ro-
mances to involve the persons who figure
in them in an impenetrable mystery; which
the author, however, is careful to clenr up
before the con9lusion. Such treatment is
not entirely true to life. Sober history
abounds in unsolved mysteries. We do
not know although we may conjecture)
the identity of the Man with the Iron Mask;
or the Fate of the Unfortunate Dauphin,
the son of Louis XyI., of France; or the
authorship of the powerful letters of
Junius; or the name of the man who hid
the charter of Connecticut in the famous
oak tree. Our everyday life is fruitful
of events which we cannot explain,
and which are not likely TO be explained in
this world.
Reflections of this nature passed through
my mind one lovely day during the present
summer of 1886, as / stood on height,
overlooking one of the most picturesque
sections OF the Genesee Valley. Near by
was lone grave, and headstone. had
examined the latter, and found that, though
very old, it had been carefully tended, and
the inscription was quite eglible. Under
the winged cherubim which the religious
sentiment of the day required to be placed
at the the head of the stone, the lettering
informed me that Roger Davenant was
there buried; that he died March II,
1881, aged 81 years; and following
this was the simple but eloquent
word, @Rest." The gentleman who had
accompanied me to the spot related to me
the strange. brief story of the life and
death Of Roger Davenant.
What has been already stated shows
present century. He was the younger
brother of one of the pioneers of this
beautiful and fertile section. In the year
1926, when Roger came from WalliEgford,
Connecticut, to join the family of his
brother Isaiah, the hard and dangerous
work Of the pioneer was well-nigh done,
and flood-tide Of emigration was pouring
into the rich farming lands of Western
New York. Isaiah Davenant had expert
enced all the hardships of the pioneers
life, and was now enjoying well-won
recompense. He was the owner of five
hundred acres of the best land in this
valley; his house, Tor those times, was
wonder Of architecture; wife and five
children shared his prosperity.
10 this happy home Roger Dayenant
came, not only as beloved and welcome
relative, but as member of the household
who was speedily to make himself ,indis-
pensable. The time was too early to furn.
ish large public facilities for education
and the question that Isaiah had anxiously
put to himself MS to how his growing boys
were to be instructed, was fully answered
upon the appearance of Uncle Roger. He
was graduate of Yale, and easily took III
the task of tutor. The young people i'm.
proved rapidly in learning, ant
Isaiah and his wife were delighted viii
their brother, not only as an educator O
their children, but as pleasant compan
ion. Perhaps happier family circle coult
not have been found in the year 1925 alons
the Genesee.
This is not a love story. But it become
necessary to state that Roger Davenan
became engaged that winter to the daugh
Ter of neighboring family, and frequent,
visited her. The word "neighboring," q
here used, has relation to the tins and til,
locality. The houses were three mile
apart. 1t was the custom of the younI
man TO ride over to the house of Mr.. Cor
ruth before sunset on the days of his visits
to remain with Gertrude till 10 o'clock, an,
then return hcme. This he did upon tn
21st of December--the dreadful, long
remembered day, when he.passed from al
consciousness of the things of this world.
The mysterious and utterly inexplicabl
events of that night caused the route tha
Roger Dayenant always pursued between
the two houses to be carefully examined
presume that at least one thousand per
sons, first and last, surveyed it, scrutiniz
ing every foot of it. Maps and plans wer
made, ard distances and the character o
the country noticed to aid in the elucida
ton of the mystery. This statement vii
show the vigilance and earnestness of th
investigation, which, ere the winter wa
over, became public interest, and pro
foundly stirred the people for q hundre
miles along that valley. The surveys an
plans showed that from the mansion G
Isaiah Dayenant to the river there was n
easy slope OF about fourth of mile
The Genesee, fordable at almost all season
at this point, was at this time boun
with ice. Across it, after bare intervt
Of unn ri Of n rpi1a ha
the dense primeyal forest for q width G
quite mile, intersected with bridle- path!
and half broken roads for ox-tenms. Be
yond this, alternate clearings and patche
of woods brought the wayfarer to th
house of Mr.. Carruth.
Upon the night of December 81, th
children at the Davenant house had q
been put to bed, and Isaiah and his vii
were sitting mp. waiting for Roger. II
clock was upon the stroke of eleven whe
his horses hoofs were heard. Isaiah wei
to the door with candle; there was q bris
parley; and then the voice of the eldt
brother was heard calling loud and shal
TO bis wife.
"Ruth-for Heavens sake, como her
Something is the matter with Roger"
She few to the door. Isaiah was hole
ing the horse by the bride, with the otht
arm about Roger The face of theiatt
was pale; his eyes were dull; he spoke nj
word, nor did he seem TO notice any on
oleying her husbands direction, she SUI
ported Roger into the house, whi
lie took care OF the horse. Return
Ing after an interval of ten minute
Isaiah found his brother seated in Il